As the need for providing youth with positive, constructive, and supervised after-school opportunities is increasingly recognized, advocates and policymakers face the challenge of funding quality, affordable, accessible youth development programs that meet the needs of working families and enrich learning and social development for youth. Recognizing the need for state funds to augment the local, national, and philanthropic support for youth development in Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) examined the experiences of other states in successfully supporting youth development initiatives. Information was obtained through interviews with child advocacy experts in several states where millions of dollars were appropriated to after-school and youth programs. This report details findings of that survey, describing youth development efforts and accomplishments in California, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, New York, and North Carolina, and discussing common elements to those initiatives. The report observes that each state had a persistent champion who made youth development their cause, that the impetus for youth development programs varied across states, that organizations and coalitions improved public awareness of the need for youth development programs, and that state and community leaders from both political parties could work together to create a strong youth development system. Concluding the report is a list of recommendations for advocacy strategies in Pennsylvania: (1) find, support, and assist champions; (2) build broad-based visible support; and (3) develop and strengthen on-going supports. (KB)